Journey of 100 Years of Insulin Discovery, From Past to Present: An Overview

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus has been a devastating, chronic metabolic disease throughout history, predominantly when diagnosed in children, it was generally considered fatal in the initial part of the 20^th century. Subsequently, insulin extraction from the pancreas was made possible in 1921, a life-changing advancement in human lives. Insulin was discovered and used after 1921. In a hundred years of journey, it has revolutionized diabetes management. In this review, successful use of insulin from past time to its present-day has been discussed, which was used in type 1 diabetes (formerly named insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) and type 2 diabetes (also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) which either shows insulin receptor problem or insulin resistance. Here, we have explained the different aspects of insulin including its formulation and delivery methods in chronological pathways and its advancements in the near future, leading to improved clinical outcomes with clinical experiences in different populations. In the current review, we have included some current challenges and future technological innovations on diabetes therapy using insulin.